Sunday, December 30, 2012

Saturday, December 29, 2012

Every year (for the past three, since Greg's been in school) things get so crazy toward Christmastime. Greg is gone, gone, gone, and there is little time to get our family pictures done, and then get them back from the photographer (this year our ever-talented friend Kristin, who has done them many times in the past), have my sister design us some cute cards, get them printed, and then mail them out to everyone. This year I thought I would be on the ball and get the pictures done in September! (Which was great, but then I felt like I had loads of time, so I haven't actually finished sending all of them out this year...)

Getting our pictures done was a comedy of errors though. We did them up in Temecula, so since we were going to be up there, I met up with a girlfriend for lunch. We don't get to get together very often, and we very frequently have all four of our children (two each) with us when we see each other. This time, we left our kids with their grandmas, and so we ended up just chatting for hours. It was great, but I was gone during Felicity's naptime, and she didn't take one. So, we knew we would have a wretchedly cranky girl on our hands, but we thought we would still get some cute pictures. We drove over to old town Temecula and parked, and looked back, and Felicity had fallen asleep. So, we decided to get a few of Charlie first, and then try and get some with Felicity while she was still semi-asleep. Charlie hops out of the car, and immediately bends down and fiddles with a sprinkler in the planter. He breaks the sprinkler off (sorry, City of Temecula) and completely drenches himself with muddy water. We now have one muddy child, and one sleeping child.Our photographer wasn't quite there yet, and when she got there, we took some pictures where you couldn't see the mud as well (the one where he is sitting with his back to the wall and you can't see the front of his shirt was the first picture she took) so he had a little time to dry off. That's just how things started off. Then we woke Felicity up. She was as cranky as possible, in several of the pictures she was pouting. Off in the corner as we were trying to take a picture, pouting. This is so typical of my little monkey girl. She doesn't care what anyone else is doing, she just cares how she feels about it.

Anyway, as you can see from above, we got plenty of nice pictures (that's the good thing about having her take pictures pretty much constantly for 90 minutes... something has to turn out), but also some pretty comical ones, so, for your entertainment, here are some of the gems.

I actually loathe photos of us kissing... not because I don't love my boy, but just because I feel so awkward while taking them, and I feel like the awkward comes across in the picture. (Our wedding photographer told us we were the worst kissers she'd ever seen.) But really, it's just in public (and for a camera) that I find it weird. Anyway, I included this one even though I don't love it because Charlie's face is too funny.

(I should also say that when she said we were the worst kissers she'd ever seen, that was before 19 Kids and Counting was on television, where the first kiss ever of the oldest child and his bride was aired. That was sickening.)

My kids saw Santa a couple times this year actually. Church party, Disneyland, my work party. After they visited with him so many times, I suddenly realized that probably it could have been confusing for them. The last (fourth) time they went to see him, Charlie decided he needed to ask him for a different gift this time. But he had forgotten that idea when he was faced with the big guy.

These were some of the better pictures of them visiting with Santa Claus, taken at the church Christmas party.

It hadn't occurred to me before - but Charlie doesn't miss much - he asked on Christmas Eve why he couldn't say awake to see Santa come. After all, he had visited with Santa several times already that month. He knew what he looked like and what he did, and how it all worked... I must admit myself a little stumped at this discrepancy in logic, but Greg mumbled something about it taking up too much time on Christmas Eve to talk to all the kids when he is in a hurry and for mercy's sake GO TO SLEEP. (Eventually he did.)

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Felicity got this little colonial style dress and immediately put it on, and then started posing for pictures with her hands clasped like this. It was funny.

From Santa Felicity got a kitchen set (which Santa scored for really cheap, second hand!) and Charlie got exactly what his little heart desired: an airplane (helicopter) with a remote control.
Two happy kids on Christmas morning.

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Friday, November 30, 2012

I decided to post some of November's insta pictures too, since I didn't post too much in November.

Charlie played the king in his preschool's rendition of Daniel and the Lion's Den for All Saints Day.

Some of Felicity's excellent fashion choices. (You can't tell from the picture, but that purple dress is like three sizes too small. It was miniscule on her.) I'm thinking of starting a hashtag or something for when I get pictures of Felicity when she's been dressing herself. She's just too sassy.

Monday, November 19, 2012

Saturday, November 17, 2012

At school they did a Thanksgiving feast (and a little play as well), and Charlie's class dressed as pilgrims. He told us that his pilgrim name is Greg. Not sure if they told the kids to think of pilgrim names or if Charlie is just a method actor, but there we are.

His craft said "I thank God for my dog, Pippa, and my mom and dad." I'm just glad they didn't let him say what he is really thankful for these days: reindeer.

One of the insurance companies we use at work has a box at the Chargers, and they invited my boss and I to one of the games. Greg had school, so I took little brother. (Since it was work I instructed him that he couldn't look like he did last time we took him to a Charger's game.)

Also, I discovered the other day that the old iPhones have the panoramic ability too. (I don't think they want anyone to know about this, because why else would people be updating?)

Thursday, October 25, 2012

We went to a birthday party the other day, and the parting gift was a goldfish.

Once at the fair, my sister said we should let the kids play one of the games where you can win a goldfish, and I said absolutely not. She said "why, it will die in a couple days anyway." That was the point. I knew the fish would die. I didn't feel like taking my kids through the drama.

Anyway, we got this fish. Charlie named it Felicity.

It lasted less than 24 hours.

Sigh.

Charlie has asked me a couple of times when Jesus is sending his fish back, all better. We're working through the stages.

One dollar section at Target yielded the solution to pumpkin carving... it's a mess, and the parents have to do it, but this way the kids did it all themselves, and there was no mess! And they were pretty proud of themselves.

Friday, October 19, 2012

I posted Lauren's pictures from the Coronado vacation a few weeks back, and promised more when I could steal my sister in laws..... she posted (the last two posts were smatterings from what she put up. I am lucky that she happens to love taking pictures of my children, as well as her own darlings) so here are the last of them.

My brother was burying his son in sand (per his son's request).

Felicity did not approve.

Apparently she actually went and tried to stop Ken from doing it even. Cute.

Cousin fun.

Slack line.

Trying to pose these girls.

Sparring. I see this so constantly... and yes, usually, it is Felicity doing the beat down. Sigh.

Okay. I paddle boarded. This is pretty much the only photo because I made Tristen promise to delete any bad pictures of it, and I fell off, a lot, but here is proof! The least athletic girl in the world! (Admittedly, getting into my brothers TINY wetsuit was possibly more physically taxing... but paddleboarding was way more frightening.) It was extremely fun. And wetsuits.... those things aren't a myth. I was not at all cold in the water. I loathe being cold, so I was pleasantly surprised. (And, yes, that was my first time in a wetsuit. I told you, I am the least athletic girl in the world.)

Oh, and final note: Charlie was pretty much unpictured because he is with Corban and running away from the adults, but he was there, had lots of fun, and is totally cute.